Container for bulk transportation and storage



Nov. 30, 1965 E. K. THOMSON 3,220,612

CONTAINER FOR BULK TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE Filed Dec. 17, 1963 I0 E/y K. Thomson ATTORNEY United States Patent ice 3,220,612 CONTAINER FOR BULK TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE Ely Knox Thomson, Houston, Tex., assignor to Continental Carbon Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 331,294 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-166) This invention relates to containers for the transportation and storage of various materials and objects, and especially bulk materials in particulate form, although not limited thereto.

Such containers are widely used in industry, being sometimes referred to as tote bins, etc; and it is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved device of this class which is so constructed as to enable the more eflicient handling of the goods or materials.

The invention, then, will best be understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a container or tote bin which has been constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the showing of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the improved container, and illustrating a butterfly or flapper valve through which the materials or goods are passed; and

FIGURE 4 is an elevational detail view, partly in section, of the valve assembly at the top of the upper portion of the container.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1, it will be observed that the container comprises a lower portion 2 which is of right-angular parallelepiped form and an upper or superposed portion 3 which is in the form of a truncated right-rectangular pyramid.

The various side panels of the lower and upper portions 2 and 3, respectively, are formed of any suitable material such as plain carbon steel, the adjacent longitudinal edges of the panels being joined by welding, etc.

As shown at 5, the lower ends of the side panels of the upper portion 3 are rounded on a substantial radius and the extremities thereof welded to the upper edges of the side panels of the lower portion 2 of the container.

A rectangular bottom plate 7 is welded to the lower edges of the side panels of the lower portion of the container as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 3; and depending from the bottom plate is a series of appropriately spaced pedestal or spacer members 10. Each of these pedestal or spacer members 10 may comprise an inverted cup which is made up of metallic plate and welded in position.

3,220,612 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, each of the four sides of the container is provided with three of these pedestal or spacer members 10, i.e., one at each of the corners of the container and one at each of the intermediate positions. There may also be a center pedestal or spacer member 10.

According to the foregoing construction and arrangement, the forks of a fork-lift truck may be easily inserted under the bottom plate 7 from any of the four sides of the container.

Disposed somewhat above the horizontal center-line of the lower portion 2 of the container is a series of four pipes 12 which extend radially from adjacent the longitudinal axis of the container through the transverse midsections of the side panels of the lower portion.

For reasons which will appear hereinafter, it is important that the radially extending pipes 12 are positioned above the center of gravity of the container or tote bin.

The inner ends of the four pipes 12 are welded to the ends of a pipe cross; and the outer ends project for a short distance from the side panels of the lower portion of the container through which they extend, thereby forming trunnions.

The pipes 12 also extend through steel plates 14 which are welded thereto as well as to the faces of the adjacent side panels of the lower portion of the container, thus providing great strength and rigidity at these points.

Since the pipes 12 are located near but slightly above the center of gravity of the container or tote bin, the unit may be lifted (through the outer ends of the pipes 12) by means of a fork lift truck and easily turned from the filling position to the discharging or emptying position (i.e., inverted).

The upper end of the upper portion 3 of the container is provided with a centrally apertured plate 17 on which there is disposed a collar 19. This collar 19 forms a valve frame or seat and it carries a rotatable valve shaft 20. The rotatable valve shaft 20, in turn, carries a butterfly valve or damper 22.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the butterfly or flapper valve assembly comprises, in addition to the aforementioned collar 19, shaft 20 and valve body 22, an oval shaped machined valve flapper 23, valve handle 24 on the valve shaft 20 and valve quadrant 25.

While the relative diversions of the elements of the container or tote bin of the present invention may vary to a considerable extent, the vertical diversions should be maintained in approximately the following proportions:

Where A=total height of tote bin or container.

Height from bottom to axis of lifting pipes (12), 392A.

Height from axis of lifting pipes to bottom of upper portion (3) .322A.

Height of rectangular pyramidal upper portion (3) .286A.

I claim:

A tote and storage bin for articles and bulk materials comprising, in combination, a right-angular parallelepiped major body portion; a closure at the bottom of said major body portion; a truncated right-angular pyramidal upper member superposed on and connected to said major body portion; the top of said truncated rightangular pyramidal upper member having a centrally disposed aperture; a pair of right-angularly intersecting and connected horizontally extending continuous tubular members disposed in said major body portion with their outer ends extending through and projecting from the four sides of the major body portion proximate their vertical center-lines and at an elevation which is proximate the center of gravity of the tote and storage bin; all of said continuous tubular members being secured to the sides of said major body portion through which they extend, thereby providing substantial reenforcement; those portions of the outer ends of said members which project from the four sides of said major body portion forming sockets or trunnions for handling purposes; and a plurality of spaced leg members for elevating the bottom of said tote and storage bin from its supporting surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1925 B rierley 222166 X 3/1936 Reeder et al. 2201.5 X 8/1942 Miller et a1 2201.5 X 12/1958 Page et al 220-15 X 3/1964 Bertels 220-15 5/1964 Bertels 222185 FOREIGN PATENTS 7/ 1964 Great Britain.

15 HADD S.

LANE, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,220,612 November 50, 1965 Ely Knox Thomson It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, lines 14 and 15, for being sometimes referred to as "tote bins," etc." read transporting and storing line 32, for "or "tote bin" which" read for transporting and storing which column 2, line 18, for "or tote bin" read of the invention lines 29 and 46, for "container or tote bin", each occurrence, read transportation and storage container line 49, strike out "tote bin or"; same column 2,

line 56, and column 3, lines 6 and 14, for "tote", each occurrence, read transportation Signed and sealed this 24th day of January 1967., (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

